Need some help

Linuss said:
Why? It's common practice, used by everyone from B's to Docs, and does the job of getting a systolic in a noisy place or with a pt that you can't auscultate for some reason.
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Because students learn it as an easy way to get a BP. I want a full BP on my Pt's. If I ask them to take a BP and they give me a palp, they fail!

Palpation of a BP is a last resort and only need to be used on very few Pt's. The majority of Palpated BP's come from lazy providers and it is not common practice!;)
 
reaper said:
Because students learn it as an easy way to get a BP. I want a full BP on my Pt's. If I ask them to take a BP and they give me a palp, they fail!

Palpation of a BP is a last resort and only need to be used on very few Pt's. The majority of Palpated BP's come from lazy providers and it is not common practice!;)
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I'd have to agee with reaper on this. We are taught both ways for a reason, because palp has it's place. But in a class room setting for a student to not be taking 90% of their BPs by auscultation is lazy. There is a reason why there are two numbers on a BP. Yes, Diastolic tends to be viewed as more important, but that doesn't take away from the importance of a complete BP. Students need to learn proper assessment skills in the classroom so that when they get into the field they have those skills down, whether or not they choose to use them; when they get in the field they will encounter times when palp is the only way, but they need to master auscultation and not get into an early habit of taking the lazy way out. Plus, I would hope that reaper warns students before hand that palp is a lazy way out and a auscultated BP is required in the class room setting, as well as whenever possible on a call.
 
EMTelite said:
Actually when I went out with an FTO he said pump it up to 220 because the pain from the cuff isent really that bad and he said that way you are going to catch if they have a significantly high BP
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The pain might not feel that bad to you, but I'll say it again... It doesn't feel that great on a little 90lbs old lady. If they have a high BP, guess what you do? You inflate it higher the second time. Am I the only one who was taught to palp the radial artery while inflating, and then when you can't feel it anymore, go 10-20 above that and then deflate? It works well, try it.
 
that was mentioned to me....but i dont do it that way. the way i do it....which doesnt always work for some people....is to place your stethoscope and start pumping up...you will start to hear Korotkov sounds on the way up (just like on the way down), so I pump it up until they go away then go just a little further then I start to let it out. same basic concept i just listen for it instead of palpating the pulse
 
omak42 said:
that was mentioned to me....but i dont do it that way. the way i do it....which doesnt always work for some people....is to place your stethoscope and start pumping up...you will start to hear Korotkov sounds on the way up (just like on the way down), so I pump it up until they go away then go just a little further then I start to let it out. same basic concept i just listen for it instead of palpating the pulse
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That'll work to. Just throwing it up to 200 on every patient just isn't good practice.
 
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